Hoyer Statement on Defense Department Furloughs

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced the furlough implementation plan for civilian employees:

"Because of Congress's failure to reach a balanced agreement on deficits, hundreds of thousands of our nation's civilian defense employees will be furloughed for up to eleven days this year, resulting in an unmerited pay cut to those who are hard at work keeping our country safe and making sure our troops have the tools they need to carry out their missions. The Republican policy of sequestration is not a solution to our deficit problem, and Congress has a responsibility to act quickly to replace the entire sequester with a big and balanced agreement.

"I am extremely disappointed that dedicated federal civilian defense employees in my state of Maryland and throughout our country are being made pawns in this debate. I continue to call on Democrats and Republicans to work together to reach a compromise that will replace the sequester and set America back on a sound fiscal path."